Announcements

Bua's Boot Lifts Spartans Over Nationally Ranked Stevens

Sep 19, 2009

YORK, PA – On a beautiful sunsplashed
afternoon at Graham Field, the #14 York College men’s soccer
team bested visiting #10 Stevens Tech 1-0 courtesy of
Antonio Bua’s (Lancaster,
Pa./Laupeter-Strasburg) 66th minute tally, the
first of his collegiate career. With the victory, the Spartans
(5-0-1) extend their unbeaten streak to 26 consecutive matches.

Twenty minutes into the second frame, freshman
Cody Pearson (Crofton, Md./DeMatha Catholic)
collected the ball in the Spartans’ half of the field before
slipping between a pair of Stevens Tech (5-2) defenders. Pearson
made a quick run up the middle of the pitch before finding fellow
rookie Bua 25 yards away from goal. Following the feed, Bua
unleashed a ripper that initially was headed toward the left side
of the goal. A Duck deflection however, pushed the ball to the
right, just inside the post, for what proved to be the game-winning
tally.

“It felt amazing,” Bua said of his
first goal in college soccer. “I don’t even know how to
explain it. It’s like the best feeling in the world. Coach
[Ludwig] was talking about us shooting in the locker room, so I
just stepped up and shot. “

Senior goalkeeper Ryan Hock
(Brookeville, Md./Sherwood) played an outstanding game
between the pipes for the Spartans notching six saves. Hock’s
best effort came in the game’s 20th minute on a
Stevens free kick. The set piece service came from outside the box
on the right side but was deflected high and towards York’s
goal. In a display of sheer athleticism, Hock quickly stopped in
his tracks, leapt, and made a right-handed touch save over the top
of the crossbar to keep the early 0-0 tie.

The Spartans came out strong in the second
frame, controlling much of the stanza’s opening play.
York’s most dangerous chance came less than 15 minutes into
the half on a brilliant give-and-go combination. Sophomore
Kemal Nuspahic (East Petersburg, Pa./Warwick) fed
senior All-American Jon Ports (Baltimore,
Md./McDonogh) at the top of the Stevens box. Ports quickly
returned the pass to Kemal who slipped in just behind the Duck
defense and was in on goal with Stevens netminder Zach Carr quickly
shutting down Nuspahic’s angle. The forward slotted his
attempt passed the sliding Carr for what looked like the Green and
White’s opening tally but it trickled just wide of the right
post.

Stevens looked as if they would tie the match
in the 87th minute as forward Terrance Johnson was in on
goal with only Hock to beat. With pressure on his left, Johnson
struck a quick, low shot that would have tied the game at one. Hock
however, came up big once again parrying away the attempt to
preserve the clean sheet.

For the match, the Spartans owned a 15-10 lead
in shots, including an 11-5 bulge in the second half, and forcing
Stevens’ Carr into a trio of saves over his 90 minutes. York
also led in corner kicks with a 4-2 margin.

The Green and White open their 2009 Capital
Athletic Conference slate on Wednesday, September 23, with a trip
to Stevenson University. The Spartans and Mustangs are slated for a
4:00 pm start.